Onion Production in Canada: The Challenges

Mary Ruth McDonald

Muck Crops Research Station, Ontario, Canada 44o 5’ N, 79o 35’ W

52.58 N, 0.25 WPeterborough, U.K.

Muck Station-

Onion production in Canada 2012 Total 5,500 haIn the United States: 50,000 ha

2,4501,856

109

242 246

New York State 5000 ha

Total Canadian production191,000 tonnes

The Holland Marsh

. Onions and carrots are the two major crops on the marshHigh organic matter soil: 48 -80% om, pH 5.0-7.2

Muck Crops Research Station

carrots

onions

Onions in Canada

Yellow bulb onions, mostly Low area of red bulb onions Some Spanish onions Shallots Garlic Some green bunching onions

(mostly in Quebec)

Seeding and transplanting

Most onions are direct seeded in late April or early May

Crop insurance indicates a reduction in yield if onions are seeded after May 10

Transplants make up about 10% of the onion production in the Holland Marsh area

Onions

About 10 % of the onions are grown from transplants.

Usually 3 or 4 plants per plug

Onion production

Spanish onions are generally grown on mineral soil. These are usually grown from transplants, imported from the U.S.

Cover crops

Spring wind abatement crops are used routinely. Fall cover crops are used after onions and wherever possible

Barley is the most common cover crop. Oilseed radish has been used.

We need a fall cover crop that can grow in October, for use after carrots

Barley as a fall cover crop

Barley as a spring cover crop on carrots

Irrigation

Rainfall varies from year to year

Sprinklers

Guns

Traveling guns or booms

-most common

Pivot- for mineral soil in some provinces - Manitoba

Drip – not used for onions in Canada

Drainage and irrigation

All of the area of high organic matter soil is tile drained.

Harvesting and storage

Transplanted onions are harvested in early August

Most onion harvest occurs in early September

Onions in Ontario, Canada

Over half the crop placed in cold storage Onions dug and windrowed for 2 days –

3 weeks May be kept in the field for 2- 3 weeks

(plastic covers on boxes) Artificial curing is very common (reduces

neck rot) Many of the same insect and disease

problems as in other parts of the world, including onion maggot, seed corn maggot, thrips, downy mildew and white rot

Onions

artificial curing

Onion Challenges Marketing Labour

Family farms plus mostly off shore labour

Crop Protection Effective pest management Registration of Crop

Protection Materials

Other issues- Phosphorous use Permits to take water

Onion Challenges

Marketing- Holland Marsh Gold – Ontario Peak of the Market –

Manitoba

Production in the United States

Canadian dollar compared to U.S. 2013- 1:1 2014- 0.90 2015- 0.76

Price to grower for a 50lb bag of onionsFall (Sept-Nov) of each year

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

1

2

3

4

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9Canadian dollars

Production Challenges Production-

Weed control Onion thrips Downy mildew Onion maggot Onion smut Allium white rot Botrytis leaf blight Bacterial diseases

The Weather!

What to do? Research, Integrated Pest Management,Plant breeding and selection

Over half of the onion

production is located in the Holland/Bradford Marsh – on both muck ( 40 %+ organic matter) and mineral soils.

There is about 9,500 acres of muck soil in the area, mostly carrots and onions

Research is conducted at the Muck Crops Research Station

Holland/Bradford Marsh, Ontario

Onion research in Ontario

Muck Crops Research Station

Weed control in OnionsChateau/ Valor (flumioxazin) was just registered for use on onions in Canada.

Unexpected damage showed up in many fields

The major weed problems are:

Yellow nutsedgeChickweedProstrate knotweedPigweedsLamsbquarters

Weed control in onion in CanadaGood products for grassy weeds: Active ingredient Name in the U.K. Name in Canada

Fenoxaprop ethylExcel Super

Sethoxidim + surfactant/adjuvant

Poast Ultra + Merge

Clethodim + surfactant Select + Amigo

Fluazifop-p-butyl Venture

Weed control in onion in CanadaBroadleaf weeds: Active ingredient Name in the U.K. Name in Canada

flumioxazin Chateau

chlorthal dimethal Dacthal

pendamethalin Prowl

dimethenamid Frontier Max

oxyflorfen Goal

bromoxonil Pardner or Broxtril

Cartenfrazone-ethyl +nonionic surfactant or surfactant

Aim + Agral 90, or Agsurf, or Merge

Integrated pest management for onions

The IPM Program of the Muck Crops Research Station

Objectives Scout growers’ fields

Disease and insect forecasting information

Identify/diagnose diseases, insect pests and weeds

Provide growers with timely, accurate and convenient access to insect and disease pest information

Update and improve the IPM program

Pest management program for Allium crops (bulb and bunching onions)

Onion ThripsDowny mildewOnion maggot

White rot of onionsBotrytis leaf blight

OBJECTIVE: Thrips control on onions

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) damage onions and other plants by scraping the leaf surface to feed.

They multiply rapidly in warm weather

Thrips feed in the leaf axils and can be difficult to control with insecticides

They develop resistance to insecticides quickly

Monitor: Spray at 1 thrips

per leaf Reduced risk

insecticides Biological

control

1. Early season location – field borders, near woods, shelters

2. Use white sticky traps - detect early migration

ONION THRIPS - SCOUTING

3. Plant inspection: -50 – 100 plants/field -pull apart leaves

THRESHOLD = 1 THRIPS / LEAF

Thrips generally around borders

Thrips plot Aug 14, 2012- relatively high thrips damage

Sylgard Movento/Delegate Concept Delegate

Check

Evaluation of insecticides for control of onion thrips- 2011

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Onion maggots and seed corn maggots are very damaging to onions- up to 70 to 100% loss, most years

Onion downy mildew is very destructive during cool, humid weather.

Downy mildew developed late in the season in 2006

Disease forecasting is very important

Onion downy mildew

Onion downy mildew

Onion downy mildew

• DOWNCAST for predicting risk of downy mildew

• Sporulates when temperatures below 24 oC previous day

Temp 4 – 24 oC at nightHumidity above 95% at night, No rain

after 1:00 am Infection occurs in 3-6 hours, temp 4-

26 C Takes 10 to 12 days from infection

until sporulation NO symptoms until sporulation

occurs

Long term consistent yields

The weather varies each growing season, and may become more variableGrowers usually spread the risk by growing more than one varietyCan we identify some varieties of onions and carrots that yield well in all growing seasons?

Information from the cultivar trials at theMuck CropsResearch Station

Onions are assessed every year – Results available in the Muck Station annual report

Marketable yields of six onion varieties at the Muck Crops Research Station

Variety Years tested Above Average Below

Corona 13 12 0 1

Prince 14 11 0 3

Hamlet 13 9 3 1

Frontier 13 8 4 1

Norstar 18 8 2 8

Fortress 12 4 2 6

1985- 2006

Number of years

Innovative approaches for IPM

Government funding for aerial photography for IPM and plot assessment

Infrared photographs for NDVI assessments

A new disease: Stemphylium leaf blight

Stemphylium leaf blight

Stemphylium vesicarium Caused by Stemphylium vesicarium.

Typically attacks leaf tips, other lesions, and injured or dying onion leaves

Starts with small light brown lesions, these expand and black conidia develop

Infection may kill entire leaves.

Usually limited to leaves and doesn’t extend to bulbs

Can be confused with purple blotch

All research trials are summarized in the Annual ReportDownload at the Muck Station web site:

www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop

Web site www.uoguelph.ca/muckcropCheck for the Agriphone, research reports, publications

Acknowledgments

Muck Crops Research Station StaffOMAFRA/University of Guelph Partnership

Questions?